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Joint Network Secretariat (JNS)

The JNS (Joint Network Secretariat) procedures aim at EU-wide harmonisations of any action taken after any issue, e.g. accidents or incidents in railways in the EU.

Any railway stakeholder can submit a request for a JNS procedure to the JNS-panel using the notification form indicating which kind of procedure is intended.

The JNS rules distinguish between an urgent and a normal procedure:

  • The purpose of the urgent procedure is to develop EU-wide harmonised short-term risk mitigation measures to ensure mainly safety and interoperability;
  • The purpose of the normal procedure is to develop EU-wide harmonised mid- and long-term measures to finally solve the issue in an efficient and sustainable way.

The panel, consisting of ERA, together with NSA representatives and GRB representatives:

  • Decides about the admissibility of the submission;
  • Decides which procedure is chosen;
  • Suggests key issues and questions to be considered by the task force;
  • Nominates the members of the task force.

The task force consists of participants from NSAs, NIBs and GRBs which are nominated according to the competences required to solve the issue and answer questions. ERA is organising the procedure, arranging the meetings and acting as chair in the task force meetings, whilst the responsibilities assigned under applicable EU or national legislation, such as safe operation however, still remain with the respective railway actors involved.

The outcome of the task force discussions has to be submitted to the panel and, after endorsement, be disseminated in an appropriate way.

 

The following JNS procedures are ongoing/have been completed:

  • JNS Procedure “Accident in the Gotthard base tunnel with focus on broken wheels”
    • Type: Normal
    • Started on: December 2023
    • Status: Ongoing (foreseen to be closed end 2024)

 

  • JNS Procedure “Crosswind” – containing the subgroups “AMOC” and “Risk assessment”
    • Type: Normal
    • Started on: January 2024
    • Status: Ongoing (foreseen to be closed early 2026)

  • JNS Procedure “Consequences of unintended brake applications with LL blocks”
    • Type: Normal
    • Started on: early February 2021
    • Status: closed on March 5th, 2024
    • Outcome: final report, including Light Impact Assessment
      • Final report
        Note: the risk control measures mentioned in this document replace entirely the risk control measures from the previous JNS Urgent Procedure “Extreme effects of thermal overload in special cases of freight operation”
      • Light Impact Assessment

 

 

 

 

 

  • JNS  Procedure “Wagon Braking Systems”

 

 

  • JNS Procedure “Broken Wheels”
    • Type: Urgent
    • Started on: May 2017
    • Status:  Closed on July 2017
    • see outcome JNS Normal Procedure “Broken Wheels” below

For more information, please contact us here.

The different JNS procedures and Overarching Rules can be found below. 

JNS Urgent Procedure

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JNS Normal Procedure

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JNS Overarching Rules

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JNS Urgent Procedure notification form

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